Form assembly for a jump pit

ABSTRACT

A form assembly and method is provided for use in making a jump pit having a cover. The form assembly comprises at least one frame member structured to form a ledge for receiving the cover and a removable form member removably secured to the frame member. The method comprises providing a frame member and removably securing a removable form member to the frame member.

BACKGROUND

Long jump/triple jump pits (“jump pits”) have been known and used intrack and field for some time. The jump pit itself is typically arectangular sand pit with a runway leading up to one of the short sidesof the rectangle. The jump pit must hold sufficient quantities of sandto cushion an athlete's landing following a jump. The sand in the jumppit must be protected from ambient and environmental conditions andcontingencies, such as weather elements and animals. The sand must bekept dry and clean to preserve its integrity and to protect theathletes, and it must be free of debris. Therefore, it is preferable toprovide a jump pit with a perimeter containment wall that includesreasonably well-fitting cover that minimizes gaps where the covercontacts the containment wall of the jump pit. Such covers can be madeof a variety of materials, including wood, fabric (such as avinyl-coated mesh fabric) or metal, such as aluminum sheeting or panels.

There are a number of steps involved in building a custom form assemblyfor creating a jump pit, and there are many difficulties to overcomebefore achieving the end result of a sand pit of predetermined size thatwill receive a standard cover without gaps where the cover contacts theperiphery of the jump pit. Most jump pits are created by digging arecess in the ground having dimensions slightly larger than the desireddimension of the jump pit, building a form assembly about the perimeterof the recess that is dimensioned so as to provide a perimetercontainment wall in which the interior dimensions of the wall correspondto the desired exterior dimensions of the jump pit. The containment wallis typically formed of a moldable forming composition, such as acementitious material (e.g., concrete), a polymer concrete or a similarmaterial. The form will typically comprise interior and exterior framemembers that are secured in place a predetermined distance apart fromone another and that are structured to laterally contain the moldableforming composition used to form the wall while the moldable formingcomposition cures. The interior and exterior form members are commonlyformed of wood. Rebar or other similar internal structural elements maybe positioned between the interior and exterior form members to increasethe structural strength of the wall. The interior and exterior formmembers may also be coupled together using metal wire or mechanicalfasteners to prevent movement of one form member away from the otherform member.

It is common to form a ledge along the upper, interior corner of thewall that is dimensioned to receive the cover. In one embodiment, thedepth of the ledge corresponds approximately to the thickness of thecover and two (2) times the width of the ledge plus the width of thejump pit corresponds approximately to the width of the cover. The ledgeis sometimes formed using an L-shaped channel, which, in one embodiment,is formed of aluminum.

One difficulty often encountered when building the form is positioningand securing each of the components correctly in place and maintainingsuch positioning when pouring the moldable forming composition into theform. As such, onsite forms result in jump pits of varying dimensions,due to slight variations in sizes of custom-built components, shiftingof form assembly components during the pouring and curing of themoldable forming composition. In particular, it can be difficult to formthe ledge so that the ledge is level around the entire perimeter. Thisdifficulty arises in part due to problems associated with positioningand securing the L-shaped channel correctly in place and maintainingsuch positioning as the moldable forming composition is poured into theform, as the moldable forming composition has a tendency to urge thechannel upwards and laterally away from the form. These variations,among other things, can result in a jump pit of uneven dimensions thatrequires fitting with a custom cover.

A further challenge to creating a jump pit using a custom built onsiteassembly form is the difficulty in removing the form components afterthe moldable forming composition is poured and cured. This can be alabor intensive, time consuming process that can result in componentsbeing broken in order to dislodge them from the containment wall formedby the moldable forming composition.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention are directed to form assembly for a jumppit and a method of making a jump pit. In one embodiment, there isprovided a form assembly for use in making a jump pit having a cover.The form assembly comprises at least one frame member structured to forma ledge for receiving the cover; and a removable form member removablysecured to the frame member. In another embodiment, the form assemblyfurther comprises a first form member removably attached to theremovable form member.

In one embodiment, a method for making a jump pit is provided comprisingproviding a frame member; and removably securing a removable form memberto the frame member. In one embodiment, the method comprises attaching afirst form member to the removable form member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A is a top view illustrating a partial form assembly for forming ajump pit of predetermined configuration using a moldable formingcomposition, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view along lines A-A in FIG. 1Aillustrating the partial form assembly;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a completed version of theform assembly illustrated in FIG. 1A, according to one embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a photograph illustrating a top perspective view of the ledgeforming component of a form for forming a jump pit of predeterminedconfiguration using a moldable forming composition, according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a photograph illustrating a top perspective view of the ledgeforming component of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a photograph illustrating a top view of one removableconnector of the ledge forming component of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a photograph illustrating an end view of the ledge formingcomponent of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a photograph illustrating a side view of the ledge formingcomponent of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a photograph illustrating a perspective-end view of the ledgeforming component of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a photograph illustrating a perspective-end view of the ledgeforming component of FIG. 3 with a first form member attached;

FIG. 10 is a photograph illustrating a perspective-end view of the ledgeforming component of FIG. 9 with the first form member attached; and

FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view of the perimeter containmentwall of the completed jump pit with an L-shaped channel being positionedalong the ledge, and wherein the ledge is holding a cover, according toone embodiment of the present invention.

Regarding the drawings, like reference numbers refer to like structuresthroughout. It should be noted that the drawings are schematic innature. Not all parts are always shown to scale. The drawings andphotographs illustrate but a few specific embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described more fullyhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some,but not all, embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, theinvention may be embodied in many different forms and should not beconstrued as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, theseembodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicablelegal requirements. Where possible, any terms expressed in the singularform herein are meant to also include the plural form and vice versa,unless explicitly stated otherwise. Also, as used herein, the term “a”and/or “an” shall mean “one or more,” even though the phrase “one ormore” is also used herein. Furthermore, when it is said herein thatsomething is “based on” something else, it may be based on one or moreother things as well. In other words, unless expressly indicatedotherwise, as used herein “based on” means “based at least in part on”or “based at least partially on.” Like numbers refer to like elementsthroughout.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a form assembly 10 formaking a jump pit, the form assembly comprising at least one frame forreceiving a cover in the finished pit and a first form member removablysecured to the frame. In some embodiments, the form further comprises asecond form member removably secured to the first form member.

Referring to the drawings and, in particular to FIG. 2, there isillustrated a form assembly 10 for making a jump pit 32, according toone embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 2, theform assembly 10 comprises a ledge forming component 23 and a first formmember 28 and second form member 40. As can be seen in FIG. 1A, theoverall configuration of the jump pit form assembly 10 forms arectangle. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the exterior perimeter of therectangle is formed by and comprises the second form member 40. Thefirst form member 28 and second form member 40 can be formed of avariety materials, including wood, metal, plastic, etc., provided thematerials have sufficient rigidity to contain the moldable formingcomposition when poured.

In at least some embodiments, the frame member 20 has an “L”-shapedconfiguration. In one embodiment, the frame member 20 is made of metal.In one embodiment, the metal frame member 20 is made of aluminum.However, one of ordinary skill in the art understands that othermaterials may be used that would still fall within the scope of thepresent invention. As illustrated in FIGS. 1B and 2, the ledge formingcomponent 23 further comprises a removable form member 22 removablyattached to the frame member 20 via one or more removable connectors 24structured to extend through an aperture in the removable form memberand to matingly engage an aperture in the second side 20(b) of the framemember. In one embodiment, the removable connector 24 comprises athreaded screw that is structured to threadably engage a threadedaperture in the second side 20(b) of the frame member 20. The framemember 20 may be made of a variety of materials, including, withoutlimitation, metal, wood or plastic. The frame member 20 is structuredand dimensioned to receive a removable form member 22. In oneembodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the depth of the frame member 20(i.e., the length of the first side 20(a) of the frame member)corresponds approximately to the thickness of the cover 60 and two (2)times the width of the frame member 20 (i.e., the length of the secondside 20(b) of the frame member) plus the width of the jump pitcorresponds approximately to the width of the cover.

The removable form member 22 may fill the area formed by the framemember 20, as illustrated in FIGS. 1B and 2, or alternatively, theremovable form member may fill only a portion of the area formed by theframe member. The removable form member 22 may be made of a variety ofmaterials, including, without limitation, metal, wood or plastic. Theremovable form member 22 is preferably made of a material having adensity and hardness such that a mechanical fastener (e.g., a nail orscrew) can be inserted and held in place. In one embodiment, theremovable form member 22 is made of wood. The second side 20(b) of theframe member 20 forms a “ledge” when the removable form member 22 isdetached from the frame member. The ledge supports the cover for thefinished jump pit.

The removable form member 22 is removably secured or attached to theframe member 20. As discussed above and illustrated in FIGS. 1B and 2,the removable form member 22 may be removably secured or attached to theframe member 20 using one or more removable connectors 24. The removableconnectors 24 can comprise any mechanical fastener that can be used tosecure or attach the removable form member 22 to the frame member 20 andthen can be removed or released so that the removable form member 22 canbe detached from the frame member. Examples of suitable mechanicalfasteners include, but are not limited to, nails, screws, bolts andstaples. In some embodiments, the removable form member 22 is removablysecured to the frame member 20 by at least one removable connector 24,as can be seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The removable connector 24 will beplaced at pre-determined or random intervals along the removable formmember 22, as can be seen in FIG. 1A, so that the removable form memberis securely held during the pouring and curing of the moldable formingcomposition that will form the perimeter containment wall of the jumppit.

In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 1B and 2, the frame member 20comprises one or more studs 26 extending therefrom. In one embodiment,the studs 26 have a shaft 26(b) and a head 26(a) and are structured tobe encased within the moldable forming composition once it has cured tothereby anchor the frame member 20 to the perimeter containment wall ofthe jump pit. Each stud 26 can be formed integrally with the framemember 22, can be attached to the frame member by welding or using anadhesive, or can comprise a threaded portion that threadably engages athreaded aperture in the frame member.

In another embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 3-10, the frame member 20comprises one or more brackets 50. Each bracket 50 can be formedintegrally with the frame member 22, can be attached to the frame memberby welding or using an adhesive, or can be attached to the frame memberusing a mechanical fastener (e.g., screws, bolts, nails, etc.). Forexample, in one embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 7, the bracket50 is attached to the frame member 22 via threaded screws 54 structuredto be threadably engaged by threaded apertures in the frame member. Inone embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 7, the bracket 50 definesan aperture 50(a) structured to receive a reinforcement member 52 (e.g.,rebar). The reinforcement member 52 can be secured to the bracket 50 bywelding or using an adhesive or can be attached to the bracket using amechanical fastener. For example, in one embodiment, as illustrated inFIGS. 5-10, a threaded set screw 56 is structured to be threadablyreceived within a threaded aperture in the bracket and to contact thereinforcement member 52 and urge it against the sidewall of the aperture50(a).

Referring to FIGS. 1B, 2 and 9-10, in one embodiment of the presentinvention, a first form member 28 is removably secured to the removableform member 22. The first form member 28 can be removably secured to theremovable form member 22 using any mechanical fastener that can be usedto secure or attach the first form member 28 to the removable formmember 22 and then can be removed or released so that the first formmember 28 can be detached from the removable form member 22. Examples ofsuitable mechanical fasteners include, but are not limited to, nails,screws, bolts and staples. In one embodiment, the first form member 28is removably secured to the removable form member 22 by at least onenail 30, as illustrated in FIG. 1B.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a cross-section of anembodiment of the completed forming assembly 10, which includes theledge forming component 23, and the first form member 28 and second formmember 40. In one embodiment, the first form member 28 is secured to astake 46 that is anchored into the ground. The first form member 28 canbe secured to the stake 46 using any mechanical fastener 48, which mayinclude, but is not limited to, nails, screws, bolts and staples.Alternatively, the first form member 28 can be secured to the stake 46using an adhesive, by welding, or by forming the two integrallytogether. According to one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, in oneembodiment, the first form member 28 is removably secured to the stake46 by at least one nail 48. In the alternate embodiment of the ledgeforming component 23 illustrated in FIGS. 3-10, the first form member 28may be further supported by (or solely supported by) the reinforcementmember 52 attached to the ledge forming component 23, as discussedabove.

In one embodiment, the second form member 40 is secured to a stake 42that is anchored into the ground. The second form member 40 can besecured to the stake 42 using any mechanical fastener 44, which mayinclude, but is not limited to, nails, screws, bolts and staples.Alternatively, the second form member 40 can be secured to the stake 42using an adhesive, by welding, or by forming the two integrallytogether. According to one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, in oneembodiment, the second form member 40 is secured to the stake 42 by atleast one nail 44.

Referring to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the area 50 formed between thefirst form member 28 and the second form member 40 is the cavity ortrench into which the moldable forming composition is poured. Thus, thearea 50 becomes the perimeter containment wall of the jump pit after themoldable forming composition is poured and cured, and the form materialsare removed.

The frame member 20 forms the top, interior perimeter of the perimetercontainment wall of the jump pit. The interior of the jump pit 32 willbe empty during the assembly of the jump pit form assembly and thepouring of the moldable forming composition to form the perimetercontainment wall. After the moldable forming composition is poured andcured, the form assembly 10 is removed from the perimeter containmentwall with the exception of the frame member 22 (and in the case of theembodiments illustrated in FIGS. 3-10, the reinforcement member(s) 52).In this regard, the second form member 40 is removed from the exteriorside of the containment wall by removing the stake(s) 42 from the groundand then moving the second form member away from the perimetercontainment wall. The first form member 28 is removed from the interiorside of the containment wall by removing the removable connector(s) 24from the frame member 22, then removing the stake(s) 46 from the ground,then moving the first form member and the removable form member awayfrom the perimeter containment. Once the form assembly 10 has beenremoved, as discussed above, the interior of the jump pit 32 can befilled with sand.

The form assembly 10 for making a jump pit provided herein creates ajump pit having a perimeter containment wall with a ledge at its top,interior perimeter, the ledge formed by the frame member 20. Once thejump pit has been completed and filled with sand, the ledge formed bythe frame member 20 serves to accept a cover 60 for the jump pit, asillustrated in FIG. 11. Advantageously, because the form assembly 10enables the frame member 20 to be efficiently incorporated into theframe assembly and consistently set in a level position, it is possibleto utilize standard, mass-manufactured covers and to have the covers tobe well-fitted upon the ledge.

FIGS. 3-8 depict various views of sections of an exemplary embodiment ofthe invention. Referring to FIG. 3, a section of an exemplary embodimentof the invention is shown. Specifically, a section of a form assembly10, namely, the ledge forming component 23, is shown which includes aportion of the frame member 20, the removable form member 22, and theremovable connector 24 for removably securing the removable form member22 to the frame member 20. The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 does notinclude the stud 26, as shown in FIG. 1B and FIG. 2, but rather showssupport for the frame member comprising a bracket 50 and reinforcementmember 52.

FIG. 4 depicts another view of the same portion of the exemplaryembodiment shown in FIG. 3. As in FIG. 3, the frame member 20, theremovable form member 22, the removable connector 24, and thereinforcement member 52 are visible in FIG. 4. The bracket 50 is notvisible due to the position of the ledge forming component 23 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 depicts a top view of a portion of the exemplary embodiment ofthe ledge forming component 23, as shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 5, the topof the frame member 20 can be seen, as can the top of the removable formmember 22 and the removable connector 24. Also visible are the bracket50 and the reinforcement member 52 supporting the frame member 20.

FIG. 6 depicts an end view of the exemplary embodiment of the ledgeforming component 23, as shown in FIG. 3. Visible in FIG. 6 are theframe member 20, the removable form member 22, the bracket 50 and thereinforcement member 52.

FIG. 7 depicts a close-up view of the exemplary embodiment of the ledgeforming component 23, as shown in FIG. 3, focusing on the bracket 50 andthe reinforcement member 52. As can be seen in FIG. 7, the bracket 50 isheld securely to the frame member 20 by two threaded screws 54, whilethe reinforcement member 52 is held in place with respect to the bracket50 by a set screw 56.

FIG. 8 shows a perspective-end view of the exemplary embodiment of theledge forming component 23, as shown in FIG. 3, with the view from belowthe frame member 20. Visible in FIG. 8 are the frame member 20, theremovable form member 22, the bracket 50, the reinforcement member 52,and the set screw 56. Also visible in FIG. 8 are the removableconnectors 24 that removably secure the removable form member 22 to theframe member 20.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show an exemplary embodiment of the invention with theledge forming component 23 and a first form member 28. FIG. 9 shows anend view with both the removable form member 22 and the first formmember 28 visible according to one embodiment of the invention. In theexemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the removable form member 22 andthe first form member 28 are made of wood. One of ordinary skill in theart understands that the removable form member 22 and the first formmember 28 may be made of other materials and still fall within the scopeof the invention. Also visible in FIG. 9 are the frame member 20, thebracket 50, the reinforcement member 52, and the set screw 56.

FIG. 10 shows an end view of an exemplary embodiment of the inventionfrom an angle. Visible in FIG. 10 are the frame member 20, the removableform member 22, the first form member 28, the bracket 50, thereinforcement member 52, and the screws 54 and set screw 56.

As can be understood from at least FIGS. 2, 9 and 10, pouring a moldableforming composition into the form of the present invention results in asand pit which has a perimeter containment wall with a ledge forreceiving a cover for the jump pit. In one embodiment, the frame member20 has a first side 20(a) and a second side 20(b) as noted in FIG. 10.The second side 20(b) is the surface which forms the ledge on which acover 60 can rest or be received. As noted above, the frame member 20 ismade of a material with a hard surface that can withstand the pressureof the moldable forming composition that will form the perimetercontainment wall of the jump pit. In one embodiment, the frame member 20is made of metal. In one embodiment, the frame member 20 is made ofaluminum.

The second side 20(b) of the frame member 20 therefore forms arelatively flat, level surface on which a standard cover 60 may bereceived. This is an improvement over previous jump pits for whichcovers had to be custom made in certain instances due to the variationsin size and surface area of each jump pit resulting from eachindividually-created form. Embodiments of the present invention create ajump pit with a perimeter containment wall for receiving a cover so thata standard cover may be designed, manufactured and provided for all jumppits made according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 depicts an exemplary embodiment of the jump pit of the inventionin which a ledge has been formed by the frame member 20 and a cover 60is received onto the ledge 20(b) for covering the jump pit. As is shownin FIG. 11, the cover extends beyond the ledge 20(b) and out over thejump pit, the area of which is depicted as reference number 32 in FIG.1A.

Covers for a sand pit formed by embodiments of the present invention canbe constructed much as is already known in the art. The cover 60 may bea single unit, or may be comprised of segments of individual planks thatcan be laid over the jump pit end to end until the entire jump pit iscovered. However, it is believed that the ledge for receiving the coverin the present invention, and the form assembly for forming the ledge,are a material improvement over the prior art. The use of the formassembly 10 of the present invention further enables the use of astandardized cover that will cover the sand pit and protect it from theenvironment, animals and other ambient conditions.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a form assembly and methodsfor constructing the form assembly and methods of making a jump pit. Theledge forming component 23, and first form member 28, and second formmember 40 and other components of the form assembly may be provided invarious forms and configurations. In one embodiment, the ledge formingcomponent, and first and second form members are provided in sections tobe assembled at the site where the jump pit is to be constructed. Inother embodiments, the form assembly (or certain portions thereof, e.g.,the ledge forming component 23, the first form member 28 and stake 46and/or the second form member 40 and the stake 42) can be fullyassembled and shipped to the jump-pit site, ready to be installed.

The dimensions of the jump pit will depend upon the applicable athleticrules/regulations to be complied with and may vary due to age and skilllevel of competitors. Generally speaking, a long jump/triple jump sandpit is a rectangle that is approximately ten (10) feet wide and abouttwenty-six (26) feet in length. In one embodiment, the jump pit isapproximately twenty-six (26) feet long and nine and a half (9.5) feetin width.

In one embodiment, the frame member 20 is approximately three (3) incheshigh (the first side 20(a)) by three (3) inches wide (the second side20(b)) and is approximately one half (½) inch thick. In one embodiment,the removable form member 22 is approximately two and a half (2.5)inches by two and a half (2.5) inches. This provides a ledge that isapproximately two and a half (2.5) inches wide on which to place a cover60, as is depicted in FIG. 11.

Referring to FIG. 2, it can be seen that in one embodiment, theperimeter containment wall of the sand pit is approximately six (6)inches thick.

While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in theaccompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments aremerely illustrative of, and not restrictive on, the broad invention, andthat this invention not be limited to the specific constructions andarrangements shown and described, since various other changes,combinations, omissions, modifications and substitutions, in addition tothose set forth in the above paragraphs, are possible. Those skilled inthe art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications ofthe just described embodiments can be configured without departing fromthe scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understoodthat, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may bepracticed other than as specifically described herein. In variousembodiments described herein may comprise any of the features disclosedherein.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Asused herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/orcomponents, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or moreother features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groupsthereof. Additionally, comparative, quantitative terms such as “less”and “greater”, are intended to encompass the concept of equality, thus,“less” can mean not only “less” in the strictest mathematical sense, butalso, “less than or equal to.”

It should also be pointed out that references may be made throughoutthis disclosure to figures and descriptions using terms such as “top”,“side”, “within”, “beside”, “on”, and other terms which imply a relativeposition of a structure, portion or view. These terms are used merelyfor convenience and refer only to the relative position of features asshown from the perspective of the reader. An element that is placed ordisposed atop another element in the context of this disclosure can befunctionally in the same place in an actual product but be beside orbelow the other element relative to an observer due to the orientationof a device or equipment. Any discussions which use these terms aremeant to encompass various possibilities for orientation and placement.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, those of ordinary skill in the art appreciate that anyarrangement which is calculated to achieve the same purpose may besubstituted for the specific embodiments shown and that the inventionhas other applications in other environments. This application isintended to cover any adaptations or variations of the presentinvention. The following claims are in no way intended to limit thescope of the invention to the specific embodiments described herein.

1. A form assembly for use in making a jump pit having a cover, the formassembly comprising: at least one frame member structured to form aledge for receiving the cover; and a removable form member removablysecured to the frame member.
 2. The form assembly of claim 1 furthercomprising a first form member removably attached to the removable formmember.
 3. A method for making a jump pit, the method comprising:providing a frame member; and removably securing a removable form memberto the frame member.
 4. The method of claim 3 further comprisingattaching a first form member to the removable form member.